Characterization of STAT3-expressing cells in the postnatal rat brain
Brain Research. 2006-07-01; 1098(1): 26-32
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.04.115
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1. Brain Res. 2006 Jul 7;1098(1):26-32. Epub 2006 Jun 9.
Characterization of STAT3-expressing cells in the postnatal rat brain.
Gautron L(1), De Smedt-Peyrusse V, Layé S.
Author information:
(1)Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Intégrative, INRA 1244-CNRS FRE 2723, Institut
François Magendie, Rue Camille St Saëns, 33077 Bordeaux Cedex, France.
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription
factor abundantly expressed in the postnatal brain that is involved in the
differentiation of cultured astrocytes. Thus far, the cellular identity and
anatomical distribution of STAT3-expressing cells in the postnatal brain is
poorly known. This study identifies the cell type(s), anatomical location, and
temporal distribution of STAT3-expressing cells by using immunohistochemistry and
confocal microscopy on postnatal day 3 (P3), 10 (P10), and 21 (P21) rat brain
sections. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of STAT3 on tyrosine and serine
residues was analyzed at these different stages by immunoprecipitation followed
by Western blot. STAT3 immunoreactivity was observed in the cytoplasm and nucleus
of many maturating astrocytes positive for nestin (at P3) or positive for GFAP
(at P10) distributed throughout the white and grey matter. Moreover, robust
nuclear immunoreactivity was observed in brainstem motoneurons. Phosphorylation
on tyrosine and serine was observed at P3 and increased at P10, which suggests an
augmented activation of STAT3 at the mid-postnatal period. At P21, STAT3
immunoreactivity dramatically decreased to remain visible only in the cytoplasm
of white matter astrocytes and hypothalamic and brainstem neuronal groups.
Furthermore, while the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues tended to decrease,
that of serine residues further increased. In summary, our study reveals a
complex regulation of STAT3 phosphorylation in the postnatal brain and provides
in vivo evidence of the specific expression of STAT3 in maturating astrocytes and
brainstem motoneurons.
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.04.115
PMID: 16764840 [Indexed for MEDLINE]